The biblical story of the Hebrews flight from Egypt is abundant with personal metaphysical meaning. This link demonstrates that there is little credible historical evidence that the Hebrews were ever enslaved in Egypt. The bible is full of stories that offer no historical or verifiable evidence that they ever literally happened. Nevertheless, this article is not to prove or disprove the Exodus story. I write this piece to mine the metaphysical gold from the story of the Hebrew flight from Egypt, with major emphasis on the personal spiritual significance of the Red Sea crossing and the Jordan River crossings.

Let's establish first that there are no "chosen people". No group or collection of people that 'God' favors over another. There are people that choose to know divinity, their own divinity. These people are not limited to any race, culture or religion. When one makes the sincere decision to know the transcendent nature of their beingness, to become free of culturally imposed, spiritually restrictive stories and know their own divinity, there is an almost miraculous inner deliverance. Life's difficulties become less constraining, a new broader understanding dawns...life takes on an ease. The Red Sea parts.

The Hebrews of the Exodus story fleeing Egypt, Egypt being the dominant world power at the time of the writing of this story and stands metaphorically for tyrannical government imposed rule and religion. The Exodus story was most likely written during the period of Egypt's later dynasties and it's cultural decline. Exodus has three major components...The escape from Egypt, the wandering in the wilderness and crossing the Jordan to take possession of the promised land. Those three components are metaphysically significant.

When One decides to leave the restrictions of government and constrictive religion there is a miraculous inner transcendence. Our inward perspective changes, we see things in a whole new way. The old thoughts, ideas and adopted beliefs have lost meaning to us. We are moved and the old beliefs cannot follow. The Red Sea has parted and our old belief system signified as the Egyptian army is swallowed up in in pursuit. When the Red Sea experience is done there comes the time of wandering in the wilderness. Wandering in the wildness is not problematic. We subsist on manna from heaven. Life takes on an ease. We've not arrived at our intended destination, the promised land; but where we are is lovely. The wilderness is initially very comfortable and validating; validation that our decision to leave our old beliefs was proper and correct. I recall my own Red Sea then wilderness experience. It felt like I was being carried through life, it lasted a few years, maybe four. Things happened easily, I was being fed spiritually with little effort on my own.

It would very easy to settle into the wilderness experience permanently. Which is exactly what the Hebrews in the Exodus story did. None of the Hebrews that crossed the Red Sea entered the promised land. The Red Sea-wilderness generation passed and the next generation crossed the Jordan into the promised land. The Hebrews of the story represent old embedded beliefs and ideas. Although they outwardly rejected the old paradigm, it was too sub-consciously buried into their psyches for them to completely be free. They really couldn't make the commitment to root out the old beliefs in their lifetime. The Red Sea crossing did not "cleanse" them of their fears or inequity and they didn't do the work to discover their own divinity in the relatively easy wilderness existence. The wilderness simply offered a comfortable birthing place for a new generation free of the old beliefs. That new generation is our new thoughts and knowledge, inhabiting the promised land is not about beliefs or faith...No, it is about new knowledge, new self knowledge. Which brings us to the metaphorical River Jordan.

The River Jordan is murky, dark and intimidating. It signifies our buried fears and personal malfeasance. It is our dirty closet. Crossing the Jordan river is a trust exercise of the highest order. When I crossed the Red Sea and was sustained in the wilderness of new birth, I still nurtured my addictions and biases. My judgements and unforgiveness. I had to let the old generation of thoughts and ideas pass before I had the courage to cross the Jordan. Making this crossing is the greatest test of personal courage you will face...you're facing your deep dark you. The you that you disowned, the you that is thoroughly pissed that you neglected it. This Jordan crossing is a journey of forgiveness and integration of self. You're re-membering your wholeness. Coming to terms with the you that you hid from yourself and others. You're walking neck deep in the muddy, dark waters of your sub-conscious. Trust that you will emerge on the other bank exhausted and shaken; but whole. That is the reason for your personal exodus in the first place...re-membering your wholeness and in turn divine nature.

When you encounter biblical stories such as Exodus know that they are symbolic, do not take them literally. The story of the Hebrews flight from Egypt is as literal as Little Red Riding Hood's journey through the woods to grandmother's house. It is highly metaphorically true...but not to be taken literally.

Since I alluded to my personal exodus and journey through the wilderness I feel that I should share where I feel I am now...well...I'm still crossing the Jordan, however my trust is growing and I'm renewing my relationship with the self I had disowned. I know the promised land is in me, just as yours is in you.

Hey Duane, you know me... I LOVE the psychodynamic teachings embedded in sacred stories. Here you have hit a home run my friend. Very well done! This is one story I hadn't yet plummed for its psychodynamic richness. Thanks!

Namaste,

Alex

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Peg

7/30/2013 01:01:31 am

Welcome home, Duane.
xoxo
Peg

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Kurt

8/3/2013 10:51:27 am

I am of the opinion there was an historical Moses and he was a revolutionary. The plagues were probably acts of sabotage by partisans later exaggerated by oral history.

Kurt...I too think Moses was a real person. A mystic. Personally I think Moses may have authored the Exodus story to pass down deeper metaphysical truths. Much in the same way that there were mystical metaphysically based stories that should not be taken literally about the iconoclastic revolutionary Jesus centuries later.

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Dan Bro Ofori

3/1/2014 05:36:44 am

I love that, just insightful! More of these will give meaning to the Bible.

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Ken Toczyski

7/23/2016 05:22:25 pm

Actually many scholars believe Israel was enslaved in Egypt, and there is evidence to this point. I refer you to "A History of Israel " by John Bright (westminster press)

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Author

Duane TownsendObserver of myself and society. Manager of the Divine, and the profane of those mirrored phenomena. 'I AM'